Prairie Dog Distribution Report Available

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PIERRE, S.D.— The S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department has used aerial photographs to help identify 622,000 acres of black-tailed prairie dog colonies in 22 western counties. That compares to a little more than 625,000 acres in the same area in 2006.

Fifty-three percent of the infested acres last year were located on non-tribal lands.

“The estimates are based on the interpretation of aerial photographs as well as observing a sample of colonies on the ground,” said Silka Kempema (KEM’-pem-uh), GFP terrestrial wildlife biologist.

GFP added eight counties to its survey in 2008, and that accounted for almost 9,000 additional acres of prairie dog colonies. However, colony acreages fell in some of the original counties surveyed, and that resulted in an overall decline of 3,000 acres from 2006.

Monitoring colony acreage every three years or so is one of the strategies outlined in the South Dakota Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Conservation and Management Plan. South Dakota’s plan was finalized in 2005.

The survey is available on the GFP Web site or a copy may be requested from

wildinfo@state.sd.us. The South Dakota prairie dog management plan can be accessed at online.

—GFP—

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